Trail or Park of the Week: Good Earth State Park at Blood Run

This week's pick is Good Earth State Park at Blood Run, the closest state park to Sioux Falls and one of the most interesting pieces of ground in the region: a National Historic Landmark where the largest documented Oneota cultural site in the upper Midwest meets the Big Sioux River. It is about 7 miles southeast of downtown, a drive of roughly 10 to 15 minutes, and late October is a lovely time to be there. I'm Jennifer Krosch, a Realtor with eXp Realty, and every week I profile a park, trail, or green space within about 30 minutes of Sioux Falls, with the details that actually matter when you are planning an afternoon out.

Why Good Earth for a fall day trip?

Good Earth State Park sits at 26924 480th Avenue in the southeast corner of the Sioux Falls area, about 7 miles from downtown and roughly a 10 to 15 minute drive. The park preserves the South Dakota side of the Blood Run site, a National Historic Landmark and the largest documented Oneota cultural site in the upper Midwest, where Siouan-speaking peoples gathered along the Big Sioux River from roughly AD 1300 to 1700. The park opened in 2013 to protect and interpret that ground, and today it layers a serious piece of history over a genuinely pretty landscape of prairie, oak woodland, and river bottomland.

For a late-October visit, the draw is the season: the oak and cottonwood woodland turns gold and amber, the tallgrass prairie goes warm bronze, and the bluff-top overlooks give you long views down the Big Sioux valley. Because it is a state park, plan for the entrance license before you go. In 2026 the daily pass is $10 per vehicle for South Dakota residents and $15 for nonresidents, and an annual park license covers all of the state parks if you visit often. The park is day-use only, so there is no camping on site.

The trails: length and difficulty

Good Earth has about 6 miles of trails total, all of them on natural surfaces through prairie, woodland, and river bottomland, with three scenic overlook decks along the way. Overall the system is easy to moderate: you will find gentle grades and a few short climbs up to the bluff viewpoints, but nothing that qualifies as a serious hike.

The family-friendly headline is the TRACK Trail, a 2.25-mile round-trip route that combines the Basswood and Cottonwood loops. It is rated moderate, runs on dirt and natural surface, and is a Kids in Parks self-guided activity trail, which means kids can pick up a free activity booklet and earn a prize for completing it. It is the easiest way to make the walk feel like an adventure for younger hikers.

From there the named loops on the official trail map are all short and easy: the River Trail, about 1 mile along the Big Sioux; the Prairie View Loop, about 0.7 mile through the open prairie; the Oak Loop, about 0.9 mile through the woodland; and the Flood Plain Loop, about 0.9 mile in the river bottom. If you want a longer outing, combining the Bur Oak, Riparian, Grand Ravine, and River Lookout trails makes a loop of roughly 3.3 miles, the longest route in the park and the one that earns the moderate rating.

A National Historic Landmark

Good Earth is not just a pretty park; the ground itself is the attraction. The Blood Run site was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970, and it is the largest documented Oneota cultural site in the upper Midwest, covering at least 650 acres across the Iowa and South Dakota sides of the river. People lived and gathered here from roughly AD 1300 to 1700, and at its peak around 1675 to 1700, as many as 10,000 people may have come together at the site for trade and ceremony. The earthworks include an earthen enclosure, a serpent effigy, more than 275 mounds with more than 60 still visible, and hundreds of stone circles that mark house sites. The name Blood Run comes from the reddish color of the Big Sioux River, stained by the red quartzite in the water. The visitor center has exhibits that tell this story well, and it is worth 20 minutes before or after your walk.

Amenities worth knowing

The park is compact but well equipped. The visitor center is accessible and has exhibits, drinking water, and a snowshoe checkout for winter visits. There are vault restrooms, picnic tables, a picnic shelter, and a playground, plus Wi-Fi at the visitor center. The Big Sioux River offers fishing access, and the park is a recognized birding site, so bring binoculars. In winter, once snow reaches about 6 inches, the trails are popular for snowshoeing.

Parking and getting there

The park entrance is on 480th Avenue, about 7 miles southeast of downtown Sioux Falls. South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks' directions use I-29 to the Tea exit, then head east to 480th Avenue, where the entrance is on the east side of the road. Parking is free in the on-site lots. The visitor center lot is the natural starting point: grab a trail map, use the restroom, and then pick your loop.

Best time to go

Right now is a strong window. The fall foliage season at Good Earth runs from September through November, with peak color typically landing between mid-September and mid-October; by late October the leaves are past their brightest but still gold against the prairie, the crowds have thinned, and the bluff views over the river valley are wide open. Mornings are the quietest, and the light on the river is lovely before the sun gets high. Spring brings wildflowers and the best birding, summer is green and busier, and winter, once the snow arrives, is snowshoe season.

Plan your visit

The park address is 26924 480th Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57108. The official page on South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks has the current fees, hours, and alerts. For directions, here is the Google Maps link to Good Earth State Park. If you are weighing which neighborhoods sit close to the parks and trails you love, my parks near Sioux Falls guide covers the whole metro, and the neighborhood guides break down daily life in each community.

The realtor's take

Good Earth is a great example of what I mean when I tell relocating clients that Sioux Falls is an easy place to live well. A National Historic Landmark with six miles of trails is a 10-minute drive from downtown, and the southeast side of the metro and the Harrisburg area sit closest to it. If you are looking in that part of the area and want to know which neighborhoods put the best parks and trails within easy reach, I would be glad to walk it through with you.

FAQ: Good Earth State Park at Blood Run